Chapter 2
1365 Words
The dance floor throbbed with noise, the bass reverberating through my body.
A man’s smooth, magnetic voice brushed against my ear, sending a small shiver down my spine. I jolted, finally realizing that I had inadvertently grabbed the wrong glass.
"Oops, my bad," I murmured, feeling my cheeks warm.
The man chuckled softly, taking a step back to give me more space.
"No worries."
My gaze fell on the empty glass as embarrassment washed over me.
Just as I found my thoughts spiraling, he offered a reassuring explanation. "I had a check-up about a month ago, everything's normal."
'How considerate.'
I felt a considerable weight lift off my shoulders as I took a closer look at him.
Moments later, I waved down a waiter and ordered another drink for him.
"Here is to make up for my mistake."
He raised an eyebrow but accepted the drink without hesitation, knocking it back in one gulp.
We sat across from each other, silently enjoying our drinks.
The atmosphere of the bar was electric. The flickering lights seemed to coax secrets from deep within the soul.
I couldn't quite recall who initiated our conversation, but before long, we found ourselves discussing everything imaginable.
We also drank quite a lot, it turned out.
I couldn't remember the exact moment when I left, but when my eyes fluttered open again, morning light flooded the room.
'Oh no!'
I rubbed my throbbing temples, still feeling the weight of last night.
I blinked, taking in my surroundings and realizing I was in an unfamiliar bed.
The room was a chaotic mess, and I was alone. Panic surged through me.
A flood of real cases of s****l assaults in bars rushed through my mind.
'What happened between me and that man last night?'
I instinctively glanced down.
'Thank goodness my clothes are still on.'
Desperately, I tried to piece together the fragments of the previous night.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, I began to remember.
There had been nothing romantic at all.
In reality, after drinking, my persistent headache had become unbearable. I had unexpectedly thrown up on him while lamenting my discomfort. He had no choice but to lead me upstairs and secure a room.
After I calmed down, he intended to leave, but I clung to his hand, refusing to let go. I insisted that my head hurt and asked him to take me to find Mason.
In my memory, my voice had been far too loud.
Perhaps he decided to avoid causing a scene. He had to calm me down first. His voice was soothing, deliberately lowered to a hypnotic murmur. In just a few moments, I had fallen asleep, only to wake up at sunrise.
I could hardly believe that my headache had truly vanished peacefully. Such luck had never come my way before.
'Was it due to the alcohol or the sleep?'
'Wait, I just can’t recall it.'
Last night, he had introduced himself as a psychologist.
*****
The realization struck me with excitement.
For all those years, I believed my headaches were a medical issue that required medication. I had forgotten that I could consult a psychologist instead.
If a psychologist could alleviate my headaches, I might finally escape Mason's grip.
Just as I pondered my excited discovery, my phone rang. I glanced at the caller's name on the screen and froze. It was Mason.
"Hello?"
Maybe my delay in answering had caused Mason's tone to sharpen.
"Get over here and pick up Zoe from the airport immediately!" He hung up before I could respond, leaving no time for thought.
'What a jerk he is!'
Even after eight years of knowing him, I still couldn’t bear his temperament.
Reluctantly, I got out of bed and prepared myself, knowing I still relied on Mason to help my head. I dashed to the airport with urgency. After all, I remained uncertain about a psychologist's potential effectiveness, and I couldn’t afford to upset Mason.
When I arrived, it quickly became clear why Mason had summoned me. He was merely trying to upstage Zoe.
At that moment, Zoe stood across from a man who radiated confidence.
With broad shoulders, a narrow waist, and a suit that exuded sophistication, he drew attention even from afar. As the commotion caught his ear, he turned slightly, and an inexplicable sense of familiarity washed over me.
"Why are you late?" Mason asked, wrapping an arm around my shoulders and pressing his forehead against mine, his expression surprisingly warm.
Unused to his sudden display of affection, I instinctively recoiled, but he pulled me closer.
Meanwhile, the pair across from us shifted their gaze in our direction.
"What did you do last night? You smell like a brewery," Mason remarked, leaning in to take a whiff, his expression shifting to distaste.
"I..." Just as I prepared to fabricate an excuse, Zoe stepped forward to greet me.
"Audrey, long time no see." Her smile was bright, yet it failed to reach her eyes. Her gaze fell on my shoulder, and with just that one look, Mason jerked his hand back as if shocked.
An undercurrent of tension crackled between them, while I stood apart, an observer to their silent exchange.
Soon, I figured out the identity of the man accompanying Zoe. His name was Samuel, a classmate from her studies abroad. Zoe had mentioned that Samuel came specifically to pick her up.
After the introductions, we climbed into the car. Mason and I settled in the backseat while Zoe engaged Samuel in lively chatter, reminiscing about amusing incidents from abroad. Mason and I sat in silence, feeling like spectators in our own lives.
Halfway through the journey, Mason grew restless.
He absentmindedly twirled a lock of my hair, his voice casual. "Audrey, is your headache still bothering you? By the way, your neck looks bare. How about we get you a necklace later?"
I reflexively glanced at the rearview mirror. Zoe’s expression darkened, her calmness vanishing. To my surprise, Samuel met my gaze with a curious expression.
A smirk tugged at my thoughts as the idea of revenge crossed my mind. "No need, you’ve already given me plenty," I joked, leaning slightly toward Mason.
I expected him to push me away immediately, considering his usual disdain for me, but surprisingly, as we drew closer, his body tensed, and his breathing sharpened.
Sensing the shift, I quickly pulled back.
Mason was the type to unhesitatingly toss someone out of the car without a second thought, especially if they got too close. He had no tolerance for anyone invading his personal space, except for Zoe.
Despite trailing behind Mason for years, our interactions had remained distant, lacking any real intimacy, and that suited me just fine.
As the air thickened with tension, Zoe received a call. Her parents were summoning her and Mason for dinner. The warmth in her tone was unmistakable, yet she kept glancing my way, seemingly hunting for disappointment on my face.
Unfortunately for her, I felt perfectly at ease.
As nothing more than a pawn, I had been discarded by the Mitchell family when Zoe left for overseas. It wasn’t mere abandonment, it felt like they were actively sabotaging my life, as if they held some personal grudge against me. Had Mason not dragged me here, our paths would never have crossed again.
Once she hung up, Zoe offered a half-hearted apology. "Sorry, Samuel. I’ll owe you a meal next time."
Samuel shrugged with a relaxed grin. "You take care. I’ll get off at the corner."
The car had barely come to a stop when Mason turned to me. "Didn't you say you had plans?"
I blinked, caught off guard.
"You should get off now."
I momentarily taken aback, then nodded without a word. As soon as my feet hit the ground, I mentally cursed Mason a thousand times.
'What a lunatic!'
I vowed to find a cure for my cursed headaches. Otherwise, I would be at his mercy for eternity.
I shot Samuel a polite smile. "Well, I guess I’ll just..."
"Forgotten me already?" Samuel raised an eyebrow, feigning disappointment. "Looks like all the effort I put in last night was for nothing."
- Writer
